by Francisco Pizarro had captured
Cuzco. They brought the Inca Empire
The remains of an Incan fortress stand on a
hilltop near Cuzco, Peru.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA Inca 121
under Spanish control. Today the
descendants of the Inca live in the Andes
Mountains. They make up almost half
of Peru’s population.
#More to explore
Andes • Machu Picchu • Peru
Independence
Day
Many countries celebrate the day that
they became independent. In the United
States that day is the Fourth of July,
which is also called Independence Day.
Independence Day marks the birth of
the United States as a new country. On
July 4, 1776, the leaders of the new
country signed the Declaration of Independence.
How Independence Day Is
Celebrated
Everywhere in the United States, Independence
Day is an all-day celebration.
Many people have the day off from
work. They spend time with family and
friends. They attend picnics, barbecues,
and parades during the day. At night
many Americans gather to watch fireworks.
Some also go to concerts where
patriotic music is played.
Some people wear red, white, and blue
clothes on July 4. Many people hang
U.S. flags outside their homes.
History
In the 1700s Great Britain ruled the 13
American colonies that would become
the United States. Many American colonists
were unhappy with the British government.
The colonists did not want to
pay taxes unless they had a say in the
government. They protested against
what they called “taxation without representation.”
In 1775 the colonists began to fight for
their freedom from Great Britain. In
June 1776 Thomas Jefferson wrote the
first draft of the Declaration of
Independence. He gave it to the
members of the Continental Congress,
who made a few changes. The members
then signed the new version on July 4,
1776.
The first Independence Day celebrations
included parades and political speeches.
By the late 1800s people were celebrating
the holiday in the same ways that
Americans do today. Independence Day
is now a major summer holiday.
#More to explore
Declaration of Independence • United
States
People carry a huge U.S. flag in an Independence
Day parade in Atlanta, Georgia.
122 Independence Day BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA
India
More people live in India than in any
other country in the world except
China. India’s culture is one of the oldest
and richest in the world. The capital
is New Delhi.
Geography
Much of India’s territory is a peninsula
that extends into the Indian Ocean. To
the west of the peninsula is the Arabian
Sea, and to the east is the Bay of Bengal.
India shares borders with Pakistan,
China, Nepal, Bhutan, Bangladesh, and
Myanmar.
The high Himalayas rise in the north.
South of the mountains is a plain of soil
left behind by the Indus, Ganges, and
Brahmaputra rivers. The Indus River
gave the country its name. The Ganges
is sacred to followers of Hinduism. In
the northwest is the Thar Desert. Most
of the south is fairly flat. Along the
coasts are low mountains called the
Western and Eastern Ghats.
India’s climate is controlled by monsoons,
or winds that change direction
each season. Most of the country has
three seasons: a hot, dry spring; a hot,
wet summer; and a cool, dry winter.
Plants and Animals
Tropical evergreen forests grow in rainy
areas. In less rainy regions trees lose their
leaves during the cool, dry season. Dry
regions have thorny shrubs and grasses.
Some 100 types of palm tree also grow
in the country.
India’s wildlife includes tigers, lions,
leopards, elephants, rhinoceroses, bears,
and deer. Monkeys and cows are common
even in cities. The peacock is the
national bird. The best-known reptile is
the cobra.
People
India has a mixture of peoples who
have blended together since ancient
times. They speak many languages,
including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu,
Marathi, Tamil, Urdu, Gujarati,
Kannada, Malayalam, Oriya, Punjabi,
and Assamese. Many Indians speak
Hindi or English as a second language.
About three fourths of Indians are
Hindus. Muslims form the next-largest
religious group. Others follow
Christianity, Sikhism, Buddhism,
Jainism, or other religions.
Most Indians live in villages. Indian
cities are generally very crowded.
BRITANNICA STUDENT ENCYCLOPEDIA India 123
Indians are divided into social groups
known as castes. People are born into
these groups, each of which has its own
traditional occupations, diet, and
customs.
Economy
Services—including computer work,
communications, transportation, and
tourism—are India’s most valuable economic
activities. Industry is also important.
Factories produce textiles,
chemicals, processed foods, iron and
steel, electronics, automobiles, and
cement. Mining provides coal, oil, iron
ore, and limestone.
Agriculture employs the most Indian
workers. Crops include grains, sugarcane,
fruits, beans, cotton, jute, tea, coffee,
rubber, and spices. India raises more
cattle and water buffalo than any other
country in the world. Because cows are
holy to Hindus, Indians often use cattle
as work animals instead of killing them
for their meat.
History
India’s history goes back to ancient
times. By about 2500 BC the Indus Valley
civilization had extended from what
